Sh58 Billion Dongo Kundu SEZ Project Advances as State Resolves Pay Disputes

Investments and Trade Cabinet secretary Salim Mvurya said they have already unlocked challenges facing the Mombasa Special Economic Zones project at Dongo Kundu.

He hailed the meeting with leaders drawn from both Mombasa and Kwale counties.

“We have taken leaders from both counties through the key milestones the government has achieved especially on the Special Economic Zones of the Dongo Kundu project,” he pointed out.

Mvurya said the move will enable the government unlock the potential of the Special Economic Zones.

He was addressing the media during a forum attended by leaders drawn from Kwale and Mombasa counties after a closed door meeting held at Kenya Ports Authority [KPA] headquarters in Mombasa county. He was flanked by the ministry’s Principal Secretary Abubakar Hassan, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Board Chairman Benjamin Dalu Tayari and KPA Managing Director Captain William Ruto who were in attendance.

The Investments and Trade Cabinet secretary reiterated that KPA, as one of the implementing agencies, has already received funds at the tune of sh 1.4 billion to conclude the compensation program currently underway.

Mvurya told the media by end of one month he is optimistic the issue of compensation for the people affected by the project will be concluded.

He disclosed the compensation package has two fronts with the first being the allocation of land to the 1,648 affected persons by the government which will support them in their new areas.

“Those affected are to be allocated 430 acres of land as compensation and the authority will provide leadership and it is in progress and got underway last week,” he pointed out.

The Trade Cabinet Secretary said the conclusions means dealing with the emerging disputes and cases raised by the aggrieved parties on the compensation package.

Mvurya pointed at the impotence of concluding the compensation program arguing that it is holding a lot of investments in the project area.

He added the key thing of the project is the development of critical infrastructure by the government among others.

“The government is happy with the partnership in the project with the government of Japan under Japan International Cooperation Agency [JICA] Funding at the tune of sh 58 billion,” he disclosed.